WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson says Dom Sheed sounded like Darth Vader after suffering a freak training accident that sent the midfielder to hospital.

Sheed became the eighth Eagles player to be cut down by injury in the space of five days when he copped an elbow to the throat at training on Thursday.

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The 2018 premiership hero was sent to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured larynx, ruling him out of Sunday's clash with Melbourne at Optus Stadium.

He joins captain Luke Shuey (hamstring), Jamie Cripps (broken ankle), Jeremy McGovern (hamstring), Liam Ryan (hamstring), Campbell Chesser (knee), Harry Edwards (ankle) and Alex Witherden (concussion) as casualties from the past week.

"It was a warm-up drill, five v three sort of stuff that we've done every week for the past two years," Simpson said of Sheed's injury.

"It was an innocuous knock to the throat. I don't think it's a significant injury, but you lose your voice and it's pretty sore.

"I spoke to Dom on the track, and he sounded like Darth Vader. I thought, 'What's going on with you?'.

"He said, 'I just got a knock'. And he finished training, so it's not that bad."

Cripps has undergone surgery and could miss the rest of the season.

McGovern and Ryan are also likely to need surgery after suffering serious tendon injuries in last week's derby loss to Fremantle, ruling them out of action for months.

Chesser could be set for a sizeable stint on the sidelines with his knee injury, but Shuey is expected back in two-to-three weeks.

Sheed and Witherden have a chance of returning for next week's Gather Round encounter with Geelong.

Defender Edwards would have played this week against Melbourne as McGovern's replacement, but was ruled out after rolling his ankle at training on Tuesday.

Simpson is doing his best to stay positive amid the injury carnage.

"It's just unfortunate that we've copped six collision injuries in the last seven days. That's the game," he said.

"It's not often that you make seven changes, or six or eight - whatever it is. I've lost count.

"But it is what it is. We've got to try to stay as positive and resilient as we can."

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Elliot Yeo will return from a calf injury in a vital boost for the Eagles, with the veteran likely to have stints across half-back and through the midfield.

Ruckman Nic Naitanui won't be back until closer to the mid-season bye due to an ongoing Achilles tendon injury.

Simpson said he was "optimistic" Naitanui would play again this year.

"The main issue is strengthening the muscles around the Achilles," Simpson said.

"Until we get that right it's hard to get the Achilles right, because it's carrying too much load.

"He's feeling less and less pain, so we can strengthen the rest of his leg."

Melbourne has lost key forward Ben Brown to a back injury, but Kysaiah Pickett returns from suspension.